Machine for making phonographic records



J. ZSOLDOS. MACHINE FOR MAKING PHONOGRAPHIC RECORDS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-22, I917- Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

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MACHINE FOR MAKING PHONOGRAPHIC RECORDS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2,2, 19,1.7.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

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J. ZSOLDOS. MACHINE FOR MAKING PHONOGRAPHIC RECORDS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.22 I917.

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JULIUS ZSOI DOS, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW? YORK.

MACHINE FOR MAKING- PHONOGBAPHIC RECORDS.

1 '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Jumps ZsoLnos, a

of the vibrations, and, second, by modifying the amplitude of such vibrations. The present invention pertains to phonograph records wherein the amplitude of the vibrations of the resulting record is greater than that of the original or master record.

In practically carrying out the invention, an original master record, or its matrix or facsimile, is reproduced on a blank, but with enlarged or greater oscillatory grooves, the depth of such grooves in a hill and dale rec ord, or the lateral deviation in a laterally cut record, and analogously in a composite rec i determining the amplitude of the vibrz, ions or, in other words, the volume oi the sound. A. master record is first prepared. in the usual way, in metal, whereupon this record is duplicated, with enlarged undulations as just specified, in a relatively soft blank, and thereafter a. metallic or ther hard record is made, in the usual way, from the record thus produced in suit material, the hard record thus produced, or its matrix or facsimile, serving as a master record, "from which to produce, by the customary operations, facsimiles or duplicates for use. I r

The principle availed of in producing amaster record with enlarged oscillations, or in producing the duplicates oi said master record, consists in the employment of a. pivoted lever, preferably of the first class, the shorter arm of which is. provided with a guiding stylus traveling in the groove of the master record, and the longer arm of which is provided with a recording stylus which operates or tracks on Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Nov. 2, 1920.

Application filed August 22, 1917. Serial No. 18?,656;

the blank from which the duplicate record is to be made. It will be obvious that, by regulating the relative lengths of said stylus car ying arms, the arm carrying the recording stylus can be given a travel or throw relatively greater, and to any practical extent desired, than the arm carrying the guiding stylus. In practice, however, I find it desirable to so proportion the relative lengths of the arms that the amplituce of the vibrations is doubled, and likewise the volume of the sound, over that of the original or primal record, the frequencyremaining the same when the master and blank travel at equal speed.

' It will be understood that, in tie production of the amplified master record, the original record and the blank to be operated upon are both rotated, the guiding stylus positioned on the short arm of the lever being caused to travel in the groove of said original record, whereas the reproducing stylus positioned on the long arm'of the lever operates on the blank, producing amplified undulations therein, the degree of such amplitude depending, as heretofore stated, on the relative lengths of the arms of the lever.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 have ilhistrated diliierent practical embodiments of the invention. but the constructions therein shown are to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure l is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention and adapted to operate on records of the lateral type.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1,

but illustrating a modified form of construction. 7

Fig. l is a side elevation of a Still further modified form of construction.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the construction of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified mounting for the reproducing lever,

which mounting is adapted to support said lever for oscillation in both vertical and lateral planes for the purpose of adapting said lever to reproduce from laterally out, hill and dale, and composite, records, and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic showing of the relative movements orpaths taken by the guiding or tracking stylus and the recording stylus. path of the tracking stylus, and the dotted line oscillations showing the path of the recording stylus.

Referring to the drawings, and, more particularly, to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, A designates the bed-plate or table of the machine, on which are mounted the operating parts thereof. Mount-ed near one end of the table is a standard a, which is cored so that the stem Z) of a record carrying .turn table B may extend therethrough and he journal ed for rotation therein. l urn-table B is adapted to hold a master record C in substantially horizontal position. and to rotate said record through a bevel gear 3) fixed on stem 5 and meshing with a bevel gear (5 fixed on a driven s aft D and journaled in bracket (Z extending upwardly from the end of table, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. When shaft D is driven by any suitable means, the cooperating meshing bevel gears b and d are actuated and turn-table B rotated.

Formed in the opposite end of table A is a transverse slideway 0, extending across the table in an arcuate path, the center of curvature being the axis of the stem Z of turntable B. Positioned for operation in sl way 6 is a correspondingly shaped. slide on which is formed a standard 7 which is journaled for rotation on the stem f of a second turn-table F for carrying the bank record Gr. A bevel gear 9 is fixed on the stem 7. and with this bevel gear meshes similar gear 9 fixed on shaft H. Shaft H extends longitudinaly of the machine and is journaled at its end adjacent bevel gear'g in a bearing 7L supported on a bracket mounted on slide E. The opposite end of said shaft carries a bevel gear 5 and is supported in a bearing 72. carried a hanger formed on the sleeve 72/ which encircles stem 32 and is supp orted thereby.

Gear 9 meshes with bevel gear 6 so that, when the latter is actuated for the purpose of rotating turn-table B, turntable F is simultaneously rotated. The several bevel gears referred to are preferably so proportioned that turn-tableF will rotate at the same speed as turn-table B, although, if desired, the speeds of the two turn-tables may vary. It will be noted that turn-table F is mounted on bed-plate A for movement laterally thereof in an arcuate path, and that the driving connections between bevel gears '79 and'g are mountedso that table F may be driven from table B, irrespective of the The full line oscillations show the movement of the former. The reasons for mounting table F as described will be hereinafter more fully explained.

Extending upwardly from bed-plate A, and intermediate its ends, is a bracket I, on the upper portion of which is pivoted a lever J. Said lever may partake of various forms, but is here shown in the form of a rigid truss so that it will not yield or vibrate so materially as to interfere with proper reproduction. As the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is adapted for use particularly with laterally cut records, lever J is shown as pivoted for oscillation on a vertical axis formed by the fixed needle point 7' and the adjustable needle point 7'. Needle points ,6 and 7" seat in depressions in the upper and lower edges of lever J and provide practically frictionless fulcrum.

Lever J extends from its fulcrum in opposite directions in the form of two arms J and J the latter of which is longer than the former, and each arm is provided at its free end with a longitudinally extending socket into which project stylus carrying bars 7' and The bars are adjustable longitudinally and may be locked in position by set-screws g and f The tracking stylus, designated K in Figs. 1 andQ, is mounted on bar 55 and is preferably in the form of a spring which may. be adjusted relative to record C by setscrew The recording stylus K is mounted on bar f, and is preferably in the form of a spring cutter which may be adjusted relative to record G by set screw 72. r

if it be assumed that the master record is on turn-table l3 and a blank record on turn-table F, that slide E remains stationary, and that set-screws 7c and 7c have been adjusted to force styli K and K into intimate engagement with the respective rec ords, the positions of the parts will beas shown in Fig. 2. If shaft D be now operated to impart rotation to the records in the manner described, stylus K will track record (3 and, in so doing, will oscillate lever J and cause stylus K to de *iate laterally in synchronism with the lateral deviations of tracking stylus K. However, since lever arm J is of greater length than arm J, the lateral movements of stylus K will be of greater extent than those of stylus K, while, if the records G and C are rotated at equal speeds, the distances between deviations onopposite sides of the medial line of general direction will be the same on both records. This will be best understood'from Fig. 8 of the drawings, wherein the line it represents the medial line of general direction of movement of the styli K and K, while the full line illustrates the path of stylus K and the dotted line shows the laterally amplified path of stylusv K". It will be noted that the leng'f 18 of the deviatwns (measured on me dial line are identical for both styli. This is'important, since the degree of deviation regulates the volume of sound, and the greater the deviation, the greater the resulting volume. However, while the amplification of the deviation will increase the vol.- ume, the tone or frequency will remain the same as long as the lengths of the deviations are preserved.

It will be noted that stylus K, if moved substantially radially of the record C from the center outwardly, will transmit movement through lever J to stylus 15', so as to shift the same radially of record G in the opposite direction; that is to say, from the outer circumference inwardly.

As commercial records are generally made so that the convolutions of the sound groove 7 extend from near the outer circumference to a point near the center ofthe record, it is advisable that records made in accordance with the present invention shall conform in this respect to those now on themarket, in order to obviate thenecessity of educating the public to the new mode of operation which would be necessary if this arrangement were reversed. For this reason, master record C is, preferably, initially recorded in such manner that the convolutions of the sound groove work from 'the center outwardly, or just the reverse of the commercial recordas generally formed. When a master record formed as described is employed for reengraving the blank G in the construction of Figs. 1 and 2, the resulting sound groove will start near the outer circumference of the blank and will finish near the center thereof, thereby conforming to commercial records now on the market. The foregoing is the preferred method of practising the invention, although, if desired, the disposition of the convolutions and the direction of operation, when acted upon by the stylus, may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It will, of course, be obvious that, while the lateral deviations in the master record 0 are amplified in the blank record G, the distances between successive convolutions in the line of cuts in the master record will also be amplified on the blank Gr, and, since an excess amplification of the distances between successive convolutions is wasteful, in that it requires a greater record diameter, this is overcome by E, which is adapted to be slid laterally of the table, with acomparatively slow motion, during the reproducing operation. This movement of the slide. is accomplished by forming in the under side thereof an arcuate rack E with which meshes a .pinionl fixed on a shaft L extending longitudinally beneath the table and carrying at its opposite end a gear Z. Gear .7 meshes with'a second gear Z fixed forrotation on a stub shaft Z the use of sliding table.

journaled for rotation on bed-plate A and carrying at its outer end a worm-wheel Z. Meshing withworm-wheel Z is a worm l fixed on a shaft E which is journaled for rotation in a fixed bearing Z and to the opposits end of which is secured a worm-wheel l which meshes with a worm Z fixed on driven shaft D. With this construction, the operations of the driven shaft, to rotate turn-tables B and F, will simultaneously ime part sliding movement to slide E in proper timed relation, the same serving to subtract excess distance between the convolutions, whereby they are spaced a minimum distance apart, commensurate with the lateral deviations-of the respective convolutions.

In Fig. 3 a modified form of construction is shown, wherein, through the application of two levers, the convolutions may be cut in the blank to correspond to those in the master. In said figure, the master record C and blank G are mounted for rotation as hereinbefore described, but, in the interest of brevity, the blank G is mounted independent of any lateral movement, although, if desired, the construction shown in Fig. 1 may be employed in the embodiment now under discussion. However, instead of mounting the styli K and K on the opposite ends ot a single lever, as hereinbefore described, they are mounted on the opposite ends of two levers M and M, which are fulcrumed on brackets m and m, and have their adjacent ends pivoted together at m The lengths of the arms of the respective levers are so proportioned as to provide the desired amplification.

A marked advantage of the construction of Fig. 3 overthat of Figs. 1 and 2 resides in the fact that, through the employment of two levers co-acting as described, the reproduction on the blank G'will embody convolutions extending in the same direction as those on the master record. That is to say, if the master record be made as usual, with the convolutions extending from the outer circumference inwardly, those out in the blank will be similarly disposed, and not reversed, as is' the case with the construction of Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figs. l and a further modified con struction is shown, wherein both the master C and blank G are mounted on a common spindle N and are simultaneously rotated. Spindle N is journaled for rotation in a suitable support it, from one side of which is an upwardly extending bracket it on whiclris mounted a rock-shaft 0, having two arms 0 and 0, so that the rock-shaft andsaid arms collectively form a bell-crank lever which fulcrumed on a fixed needle point 0 and an adjustable needle point 0 Arm 0 carries the tracking stylus K and the arm 0 the cutting stylus K. r

"In the construction of Figs. at and 5, the

. horizontal direction of forming the convolutions is the same as in Fig. 1, wherein the master record is preferably cut so that the sound groove extends from the center outwardly, and, by this method, the resulting blank will conform to records of the commercial form.

All of the constructions hereinbefore described are particularly adapted to operate on records of the laterally cut type, and, accordingly, the reproducing lever is pivoted on an axis parallel to the axes of rotation of the records. However, described machines might well be adapted to cooperate with hill and dale records by simply changing the mounting of the lever to oscillate on an axis perpendicular to the axes of rotation of said records. In Fig. 6 is shown means for mounting a reproducing lever in such manner that it maysimultaneously oscillate on both vertical and horizontal axes, thereby adapting said lever to reproduce composite records, 21.6., those embodying both laterally cut and hill and dale principles. In this figure, P designates the lever, which is mounted for oscillation on a horizontal axis formed by the fixed and adjustable trunnions p and 79' supported on the rigid frame Q. This rigid frame is, in turn, mounted on fixed and adjustabletrunnions g and 9' formed in the head of a standard R, corresponding to the brackets I of Figs. 1 and 2, and m and m of Fig. 3. The axes need not be in vertical and planes provided they are at right angles.

It will appear that, in the construction of Fig. 6, lever P oscillates on a horizontal axis and within frame Q, or on a vertical axis, through bodily movement of frame Q on trunnions g and g. In this manner, later ally out, hill and dale, or composite, records may be reproduced through the mounting specified, and it will be understood that this mounting may beemployed in the machines of Figs. 1 and 3, if so desired. 7

A marked advantage, in the manufacture ofrecords, in the manner specified resides in the fact that, through the amplification of sound and the simultaneous maintenance of frequency, the reproduction of music heretofore extremelydiflicult, if not impossible, to reproduce, may be here accomplished. Thus, voices which are very sweet, although mild and delicate, as well as instruments possessing the same characteristics, such as stringed instruments and sym phony orchestras, may be reproduced in such manner as to be amplified to full vol-v ume without necessitating forced reproduction during the making of the masterrecord, or requiring theuse of large horns, as has previously been the case. On the other hand, loud music, such as that produced by a brass band and loud voices, has been here-. tofore reproduced, butthe direct reproducsuch previously 7 'mony with the voice of ating said tion of music of this character results in chatters in the record occasioned by the effect of diaphragm and horn vibrations due to the forcing thereof. However, in accordance with the present invention, the selection is reproduced in the masterrecord with less volume and consequent finer definition and tone quality. When a record made un der the conditions described is employed as a master for the cutting of a blank to be subsequently used as a master, said blank, after cutting, will possess all the fine modulations and tone quality of the original master, while its volume Wlll be enhanced or increased to such extent that these combined qualities will result in sound in absolute har the singer or the tones of the instrument,

It will be understood that changes may be made in the specific details described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims- Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPate'nt, is:

1 l. Anapparatus for making phonograph records embodying means for. mounting a master record for rotation, In'eansfor moun ing ablank record for rotation, means for simultaneously rotating said. records with the same angular velocity, a tracking stylus adapted tofollow the sound groove of the master record, a cutting stylus adapted to cut into the blank record, a lever for operstylus to conform in frequency to the cutting stylus and a fixed fulcrum for said lever so positioned that the arms of the lever are of unequal length, whereby the cutting stylus operates with greater amplitude than the tracking stylus. a

2. An apparatus for making phonograph records, embodying means for rotating a master record, meansfor mounting a blank record for rotation, means for simultaneously rotating said records so that they will have the same angular velocity, a tracking stylus adapted to follow the sound grooves of the master record, a cutting stylus adapted to cut into the blank record, a lever for operatively connecting said styli for the purpose of causing the move ment of one to conform to the movement of the other, said fulcrum havinga universal joint whereby it may be made to conform to grooves ofvaryingwidths or varying depths.

3. In a machine of the class described, a

rotatable memberadapted to support a phonograph record in a given plane, a rotating member adapted to support a phonograph blank in the same plane, a pivoted lever having arms of unequal length, aguiding stylus, adapted to track in the groove of the record, carried by'the shorterlever arm,

and a recording stylus, carried by the long arm of the lever, and, adapted to reproduce said record on the blank carried by the other rotating member but with an amplified groove oscillation.

4:. In a machine of the class described, a rotating member adapted to support a phonograph record in a given plane, a rotating member adapted to support a phonograph blank in the same plane, a lever having arms of unequal length, pivotally supported in an axis at right angles to said plane, a guiding stylus, adapted to track in the groove of the record, carried by the shorter lever arm, a recording stylus, carried by the long arm of the lever adapted to reproduce said record on the blank carried by the other rotating member but with an amplified groove oscillation, and means for adjusting the relative lengths of said arms.

5. In a machine of the class described, a

, rotatable member adapted to support a master phonograph record, a rotatable member adapted to support a phonograph blank, a lever having arms of unequal length the short arm of which carries a guiding stylus adapted to track in the master record and the long arm of which carries a cutting stylus adapted to operate on the blank, separate gearing for rotating each of said rotatable members, and means for driving said gearing.

6. An apparatus for making phonograph records, embodying means for mounting a master record forrotation, means for mount; ing a blank record for rotation adjacent to the first mentioned means, means for rotating said records simultaneously and at the same speed, a pivoted lever, a tracking stylus operatively associated with one arm of the lever and adapted to follow the sound groove of the master record, and a cutting stylus, operatively associated with the other arm of the lever and adapted to cut into the blank record, whereby the movements of the cutting stylus conform in frequency to those of the tracking stylus, in combination with means for bodily shifting one of the records laterally with respect to the other for controlling the distance between successive convolutions of the cut in the blank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JULIUS ZSOLDOS. 

